L 01-299 has excellent stubbling ability

On Aug. 28, 2009, sugarcane variety L 01-299 was released to the Louisiana sugar industry by the LSU AgCenter in cooperation with the USDA-ARS and the American Sugar Cane League.

The cross for L 01-299 was made on Oct. 22, 1996, at the Sugar Research Station. Early-stage selection culminated in a permanent variety designation in 2001. Variety testing began in 2002, and L 01-299 proved to be one of the top performers for the 2001 assignment series.

In 2008, it was decided to drop the variety from active testing and commercial consideration because of smut susceptibility in disease-screening trials. All parties agreed to obtain data in the third stubble crop of the outfield trials because earlier testing had highlighted good yield potential in older stubble crops. In 2008, the Louisiana sugar industry was pummeled by Hurricane Gustav. The new variety withstood the effects of the storm well, and L 01-299 did not lodge – or fall over at maturity – as severely as others. Coupled with outstanding third-stubble yields, it was decided to release the variety in 2009. Additional data collected in 2009 in third-stubble outfield trials again confirmed L 01-299’s excellent stubbling ability.

Because sugarcane is a perennial crop, a farmer can grow multiple crops from a single planting. Extending the crop cycle by an additional stubble (ratoon) crop is an important factor affecting a grower’s profit margin.

Sugarcane growers are advised to obtain high-quality seedcane from one of the seedcane companies to minimize the effect of smut and other systemic diseases in L 01-299.

(This article was published in the summer 2010 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.)